Spike for railway or other purposes



(No Model.)

A. M. SMITH, Jr. SPIKE FOR RAILWAY OR OTHER PURPOSES.

No. 579,610. I Patented Mar. 30, 1897,

Jf J/ I i VZ WITNESSES: INVEN r00 4% flail, @J fim, 72.. @M 0 A TTORIVEYJ STATES ATENT FFICEe SPIKE FOR RAILWAY OR OTHER PURPOSE S.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 579,610, dated March 30, 1897.

Application filed March 3, 1896. fierial No, 581,648. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALVEY MARIUs SMITH, J r., a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cockeysville, in the county of Baltimore and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spikes for Railway or other Purposes,of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

This invention relates to spikes which are adapted for use in securing railway-rails to railway-ties and which may also be employed for other and similar purposes; and the object of the invention is to provide a spike of this class with means whereby it is secured in place within the tie or other article when once driven thereinto. I

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawings form a part, in which Figure l is a side view of my improved railway or other spike, and Fig. 2 a similar view at right angles to Fig. 1.

In the practice of my invention I provide a spike A, the body portion of which may be of any desired form, but which is preferably reotangular in cross-section, and the upper end of said spike is provided with the usual head B, at one side of which is a shoulder or projection b, which is adapted to overlap the base-flange of a railway-rail, and at a predetermined distance below said head and on the side opposite the shoulder or projection 17 the body portion of the spike is decreased in size and provided with an inwardly-directed inclined shoulder or projection a.

The end of the spike opposite the head B is pointed in the usual manner, the'opposite sides of the spike being beveled or inclined,

as shown at O, and formed at one side thereof and slightly above the beginning of the bevel or incline is a shoulder or projection D, by means of which a flange or rib d is formed which extends to the point of the spike and the sides of which are beveled or concave in cross-section, as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

The object of the shoulder or projection D is to secure the spike within the railway-tie or other article when driven thereinto, and the form of the flange d assists in perforating or cutting the wood or material of the tie as the spike is driven thereinto, as will be readily understood; and the enlarged portion of the spike, near the upper end thereof, above the shoulder or projection a, is intended to force the head end of the spike in the direction of the rail or the base-flange thereof, so as to provide a secure and close fit and to cause the spike to securely clamp and hold the rail at the same time that the shoulder or projection D is forced outwardly and farther into the material of the tie.

My improved spike is welladapted to accomplish the result for which it is intended, and my invention does not add materially to the cost thereof, and I reserve the right to make all such alterations therein and modifications thereof as fairly come within the scope of the invention.

Having fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The herein-described railway-spike consistin g of a body portion A, provided with a head B, one side of said spike being cut away form ing an inclining shoulder a, the end of said spike being beveled on two sides, one of the sides being provided with a flange or rib d forming a shoulder or'projeotion, said flange or rib extending to the pointof the spike, and the sides thereof being concave in cross-section, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of the subscribing witnesses, this 28th day of February, 1896.

ALVEY MARIUS SMITH, JR.

Witnesses:

JOHN D. C. DUNCAN, JOHN F. HILGEMAN. 

